SO there are to be even more houses on the Marlow Gravel Pits, Riley Road Car Park, Marlow Football Ground and any and every bit of open space in the town.

Marlow is at least consistent in its traditions. We build our houses in exactly the same way we have done for the last 300 years.

Who wants double glazed windows, insulated cavity walls, roofspaces and floors, and solar panels on their roofs? That would prevent 40 per cent of all house-heating to escape wouldn't it and that is not the way for Marlow. Neither are little green open spaces.

Young mothers, today, no longer "take the babies for a walk with the pram" they go for a drive and leave the rear windows open. Youngsters no longer play hopscotch and hide-and-seek outside they have their computers and videos inside.

OAPS no longer sit on park benches in the sun and gossip they watch the TV or go to the pub if they can afford to.

Never mind the scaremongers who warn us about global warming, air pollution, melting of the polar icecaps, destruction of the rainforests, and floodings.

Our district council knows that cultivating the redbrick jumble and increasing the swarm of cars and air pollution is real progress and their genuflections to the priesthood of speculative builders has more promise of salvation than just pandering to the gospel of decent environment and living space and conservation.

Bill Purdie

West Street

Marlow